Bas Rutten vs. Kevin Randleman
The fight, for the vacant UFC heavyweight title, was a controversial decision victory for Bas Rutten. Rutten vacated the title later in the year and tried to drop to light-heavyweight but suffered an injury and retired. The Fight The first round began. Rutten missed a front kick. Thirty as Randleman got a single to guard. Randleman landed four right hands nicely. One minute as Randleman passed to side control. One fifteen. One thirty. 'Knee to the ribs!' Coleman yelled. Randleman landed an elbow and another. 'He's cut!' Rutten was cut above his nose, on the bridge. 'Knee to the ribs, Kev!' Randleman landed a pair of hammerfists. Two minutes. 'Breathe, Kevin!' Randleman landed another elbow. Randleman elbowed the face. Two fifteen. Two thirty. Rutten regained half-guard. Randleman landed a pair of right hands. Rutten retained guard. Randleman avoided a triangle. Three minutes. Rutten landed a pair of punches from the bottom. Randleman landed a right hand. Three fifteen. Randleman passed to side control nicely. Three thirty. Rutten kneed the head from the bottom. Randleman landed a big right hand. Four minutes. Randleman elbowed the body and kneed the body. Rutten regained half-guard. Four fifteen left as Rutten worked for a guillotine and Randleman avoided. Randleman landed a big right and another. Four thirty. Randleman landed another elbow. Rutten regained guard. The referee checked the cut on Rutten's face with five minutes as the crowd booed. They wiped the blood away. 'He broke his nose on there.' 'Your nose is broken.' 'Let's do it,' Rutten replied. They continued standing. They circled. Five thirty as Rutten landed a big liver kick and Randleman got another single to guard but he was still hurt. Randleman's pace had screeched to a halt. Six minutes. 'Shut his eye!' Rutten landed a pair of lefts from the bottom with six fifteen. Six thirty. Seven minutes. The referee wanted work. Seven fifteen. Rutten landed a right hand. Randleman landed a left and right. Seven thirty. 'Trap his arm, Kev!' Eight minutes.Randleman dodged an armbar and passed to side control. Eight fifteen. Eight thirty remaining. Rutten retained half-guard. Nine minutes. Randleman landed a left hand. Another left hand there. Nine fifteen. Nine thirty. Rutten landed a right from the bottom. Rutten retained guard. Ten minutes. Ten fifteen as the referee stood them up. They were cleaning the cut on Rutten's nose as best as they could. Rutten had a mouse under his right eye as well. They continued standing. Ten thirty now. Rutten missed a front kick and Randleman shot for a double, Rutten stuffed it to the clinch nicely though. Eleven minutes. Rutten kneed the body. Eleven fifteen. Randleman got a double. Eleven thirty remaining two seconds later. Rutten landed a right hand from the bottom. Another. Twelve minutes remaining. Randleman landed a right hand. Twelve fifteen. Rutten landed a right hand. 'Cut him with the elbow, Kev!' Twelve thirty. Randleman landed an elbow. Rutten landed three hammerfists and three elbows from the bottom. Thirteen minutes with five more elbows. Randleman was cut in the hair on the top and back of the head. Thirteen fifteen. Rutten elbowed from the bottom. Thirteen thirty. Another pair of left hands from the bottom. Rutten landed a right hand. Fourteen minutes. The final minute of regulation time. Rutten landed a pair of right palm strikes and some more. Fourteen fifteen. A trio of elbows from the bottom. Fourteen thirty with Rutten landing a twin strike to the ears with the palms now. Another palm strike. Fifteen and the regulation time ended. Randleman said 'yes, oh yeah' when he was asked if he wanted to continue. 'You've gotta bust him open, bust him with an elbow, suck it up here man, you're a warrior, you've went for forty-five minutes before, you're a warrior' Coleman said there. The first of two overtime rounds began. Rutten missed a high kick. Fifteen. Rutten landed a leg kick, Randleman got a double to half-guard. Rutten regained guard with thirty-five. Randleman landed a good hammerfist. One minute. Rutten landed an elbow from the bottom. Randleman avoided an armbar with one fifteen. One thirty. Rutten landed the twin palm strikes once and again to the forehead this time. Two minutes. Randleman landed a right hand. One minute remained. Two fifteen. Rutten landed a trio of rights from the bottom. 'Hit him with an elbow!' Two thirty. Randleman landed an elbow nicely. 'Work that cut, Kev!' Three minutes as the first overtime ended. 'Smear that blood in his eye so he can't see, it's close, you've gotta win this one,' Mark Coleman said. 'Close his eye, work that cut, Kev,". The second and final overtime round began. They circled. Fifteen. Rutten landed a high kick. Randleman shook it off. He dodged a leg kick. Thirty. Rutten missed a Superman punch and stuffed a single to the clinch. Randleman got a double to guard. 'Work the cut, Kevin!' One minute. One fifteen left. One thirty. 'Short elbow!' Two minutes. Rutten landed a pair of rights from the bottom. Rutten elbowed from the bottom. Two fifteen. Two thirty. Randleman landed a big right hand. 'Twenty seconds, get busy, finish strong!' The last overtime round ended. Rutten won the decision. Woah wait, Dan Miragliotta was one of the judges. 'Meeraggliotta.' Catalfo scored it Randleman, Hall scored it Rutten and Miragliotta scored it Rutten.